Brock McGinn plays role in Penguins' comeback win over Predators hours after being waived

The Pittsburgh Penguins look like a different team.

Less than a week ago, they jettisoned frustrating forward Kasperi Kapanen through waivers on Saturday.

By Wednesday afternoon, they might look different once again if underwhelming forward Brock McGinn and reserve defenseman Mark Friedman do not clear waivers.

And certainly, once Friday’s trade deadline comes and goes, they could have a substantially altered appearance if management opts to swing any kind of deals.

On Tuesday night, they looked as though further augmentations are required but still claimed an important 3-1 comeback road win against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

Coupled with the Buffalo Sabres suffering a 5-3 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets roughly six hours to the northeast, the Penguins’ win allowed them to maintain the final wild card position of the Eastern Conference with a 30-21-9 record and 69 points.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, McGinn and Friedman were waived by general manager Ron Hextall in maneuvers geared toward potentially opening up vital salary cap space for a potential trade. Their fates won’t be determined until 2 p.m. Wednesday.

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Despite that transaction, McGinn was in Tuesday’s lineup. Primarily deployed on the third line, McGinn logged 12:17 of ice time on 18 shifts and had a key role in the Penguins staging their comeback triumph.

After neither team found any offense in the first two periods, a highly unlikely source generated the first goal 7:01 into the third period when former Penguins forward Mark Jankowski scored his fifth goal of the season.

Wrangling a loose puck on his own left half wall, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang attempted an ill-conceived forehand pass toward the center of the ice that was intercepted by Jankowski, who opened the day on the roster of the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals before being recalled prior to the game.

Accepting the charity, Jankowski stopped the puck with this right knee then sauntered in on net before juking goaltender Tristan Jarry out of position and tucking a forehand shot into the cage. There were no assists.

McGinn had a hand in the tying score by forward Sidney Crosby at 11:00 of the third frame.

From the left point of the Penguins’ zone, Predators defenseman Roman Josi pounded a one-timer from that was blocked by Letang. Settling the rebound in the slot, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell backhanded a pass to the top of the right circle for McGinn, who snapped a pass up ice, springing Crosby on a breakaway.

With Josi and Predators defenseman Jeremy Lauzon providing a futile chase, Crosby motored in on net and snapped a wrister that clunked through goaltender Juuse Saros’ five hole for a team-leading 27th goal. McGinn and Rakell registered assists. For McGinn, the assist snapped a 26-game streak without a point.

Penguins forward Jason Zucker generated the winning score late in regulation with his 17th goal at 18:21 of the third period.

After Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin lost the puck in the right corner of the offensive zone, Predators defenseman Ryan McDonagh claimed it but immediately forfeited possession and allowed it to slide into the right circle, where Zucker quickly directed a wrister that slipped under Saros’ right leg and found an avenue into the cage. There were no assists.

A determined effort by Penguins forward Bryan Rust led to his 15th goal at 19:53 of the third on an empty net.

Chasing a loose puck up the left wing wall of the offensive zone, Rust dove forward and swiped his stick with only his left hand at a puck, knocking it away from Predators forward Tommy Novak and into the cage on a hop. Forward Jake Guentzel and defenseman Brian Dumoulin tallied assists.

Jarry made 24 saves on 25 shots as his record improved to 18-7-5.

Notes:

• The Predators were the final team the Penguins had yet to play this season.

• In addition to Friedman, forward Ryan Poehling and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel were scratched for the Penguins.

• Rust (307 points) surpassed forward Lowell MacDonald (306) for 24th place on the franchise’s career scoring list.

• Jankowski scored his first goal in seven career games against the Penguins.

• Predators forward Luke Evangelista made his NHL debut.

• Defenseman Cal Foote made his debut with the Predators after being acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday.